join me this sunday for SFCB’s biggest event of the year!!

Here in the bay area, summertime weather has been with us for the last three months or so (which is how it happens everywhere else, but not usually here.) If you’ve lived in SF for any amount of time, you’re probably missing what we San Franciscans refer to as the “June Gloom.” I mean, holy moley! It’s been warm around here.

This year has been anything but typical.

I’ve been whirl-winding all around the place, and I promise I’ll write more about that in a (near) future blog post. Lots of great, fantastic, amazing things have been falling into place with Red Handed Rubber Stamps (as well as a handful of my other artistic endeavors) so there’s a bunch to report from that part of the Red Letter Day-O-Sphere.

And since I mentioned rubber stamps just now, let me tell you this juicy tidbit of info: I’ll be sponsoring a table/creation station (alongside Neenah Paper) at this weekend’s Steamroller event at SFCB! WOWZA!!!

What does that mean? Stop by the “Capricious Correspondence Zone” and seek out everything you might need for your stationery, mail art, and letter writing needs! I’ll have Red Handed Rubber Stamps available for sale at the S.O.S (“Stamp your Own Stationery”) table, complete with a selection of “try before you buy” rubber. Neenah Paper is providing envelopes and paper; the only thing needed is your creativity and enthusiasm!

Other Correspondence Zone participants include Bell’occhio, who will be bringing a treasure trove of inks and calligraphy tools…

…as well as Special Guest Billy Hutchinson, who (as you may know) is a fabulous calligrapher and truly dapper gent.

Perhaps you’d like to shop other book-and-paper vendors? Gutwrench Press and Picky Pockets Press will be there, as well as other faves like Savior Faire Paper and Flax! It’s a day-long block party with plenty of fun and free things to see and do — truly a celebration of book arts, printing, and the community of people who help make it happen.

All that being said: I hope to see you there! 🙂

And a final bit of surprise: I’ll be previewing new rubber stamp designs for Late Summer 2015 — YIPPEE!!!

See you at Steamroller —

–JH

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big bang theory, book arts edition…

 

I’ve updated the “Classes & Sightings” page of the RLD blog and boy-oh-boy is this a full summer! There are a few spaces left in Tuesday (July 8th) night’s “Book Arts Basics: Longstitch” class, as well as the “Advanced Longstitch: Reworked and Refined” the following week. Whether you’re just starting out on your book arts adventure or a seasoned pro, longstitch binding is an easy to make book structure — perfect for journals and sketchbooks!

The “Non Adhesive Accordion Book” is works well for edition work…

…while “Introduction to Bookbinding”  (above) gives SFCB newcomers an overview of book arts basics. Students learn the ins-and-outs of 4-5 different book structures over the course of the evening.

FYI: SFCB will be closed on Friday, July 4th and open July 5th and 6th. You can click directly on individual class links for registration info.

Have a safe and happy holiday weekend!

–JH

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springtime is a great time to learn something new!

someday, I’ll live here…

March: in like a lion, out like a lamb! In my case, it’s actually the other way around, with things busier than ever. My calendar is quickly is filling up with neon pink pen marks and cutie Japanese place markers – sure signs that good things are on the horizon.

well of course — mail art!

I’m already looking forward to April: not only is it my birthday month (Aries people, REPRESENT!) but the weeks will be filled with multiple teaching gigs. Starting the whole thing off, I’ll be in Portland, Oregon for the Art and Soul Retreat. If you’ve ever wondered when I’d be workshopping in the great Pacific Northwest, now’s your chance to come and play!

“the yes men”, made for cascadia art post…

I’ll be teaching on April 12^th (Saturday) and April 13^th  (Sunday); Saturday’s “Hidden Surprises” carousel book class promises to be filled with TONS of creativity, rubber stamping, and book arts brainstorming!

And then on Sunday, I’m at it again, schooling students in the ways of mail art mayhem…

a little bit of outgoing mail…

…which means MAKING and SENDING! Through a series of individual and group projects, students will learn about mail art practices, as well as gain inspiration from others in the class.

there’s that mailman rubber stamp again!

We’ll spend part of the session creating faux postage (a.k.a “artistamps”) using a variety of techniques. Students end the day with sheets of artistamps they have created, ideas for future mail art projects, and the know-how to get involved in “the Eternal Network”.

working small…

After that, I’ll spend a couple days with friends and family in Portland (Powell’s Bookstore: LOOK OUT!) and then it’s back to San Francisco. My travel time to Portland is short, but I’m always on the lookout for fantastic new places to go. What do YOU suggest? SCRAP, Collage PDX, and the IPRC are all longtime faves, but I have a hunch that there are things I have yet to discover in Portland’s neighborhoods – let me know what cannot be missed!

discovered last year, in corvallis…

Also: RLD readers may notice that I’ve made a small change to the layout of the RLD blog. To the right, I’ve added a column for “Classes & Sightings”, so that RLD readers can see upcoming workshops and Co-op meetings at a glance. If you’re looking for detailed info about any of the posted items, visit the “Classes & Sightings” page of the RLD blog – venues, registration info, and descriptions will be posted for your perusal.

the act of creating — what fun!

That’s a lot of exciting info for a Tuesday! If you register for a class at Art and Soul, be sure to post a comment and let me know – it may turn out that there’s a little surprise waiting for you in the classroom!

In all things postal –

–JH

 

 

 

 

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upcoming: “The Desk Set” at SF Center for the Book!

all this could be yours!

Kicking off 2014 by learning a new skill (some book arts basics) or creating a little something (stationery organizer) to keep your letter writing life organized would be fantastic, dont’cha think?

You should let me help you with that!

pencils and postage not included in the price of tuition…

This Saturday, January 11th I’ll be teaching “The Desk Set: Stationery Accessories for Your Letter Writing Lifestyle” at the SF Center for the Book. There are still a few seats left, if you’re so inclined…

a glimpse inside…

Students will spend the day constructing two different hardcover portfolios to hold stationery, envelopes, and a notebook. Added bonus? You’ll learn how to construct two styles of portfolio pocket (think Moleskin journals), as well as assemble a small size notebook to place inside one of the portfolios.

ready for writing!

I’m excited to say that this is the first of many teaching gigs for 2014. Next month, in addition to all the awesomeness of Ex Postal Facto, I’ll be teaching a soft block carving class at the Center called “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” — more info to follow on that one as well!

Off to photocopy my handouts —

–JH

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coming soon to a classroom near you!

if your books were having a party, this is what it’d look like…

I’ve had a full plate lately: putting together a handful of fun classes, working on a new artist book (more info in the extremely near future!)  and getting accepted into the upcoming publication “500 Handmade Books: Volume 2” by Lark Books. I had a hunch that 2013 would be a whirlwind of activity, but nothing quite like this!

this is only the beginning…

At the SF Center for the Book this weekend, I taught my “Creative Carousel Books” class. Carousel books (also known as “star books”) are one of my favorite book structures to teach – all the excitement of pop ups, with the “wow!” factor of a tunnel book. And lucky me! I’ll be teaching this class at two different venues in the next couple of months: The Ink Pad in NYC (beginning of June) and the Focus on Book Arts Conference in Oregon (end of June). For more info, be sure to take a look at the RLD “Classes and Sightings” page.

plotting, planning, designing (student megan)…

Yesterday’s students at SFCB were wonderful: enthusiastic, eager to experiment and try out new ideas. First step of our books? Creating the blank pages, a.k.a the textblock. From there we moved forward into designing page layouts and positioning each visual element.

selecting the best order of photos (student linda)…

a recurring theme in my life (RLD’s project)…

look at all those textures! (student joyce)…

And once that was achieved, we stitched everything together!

a tidy work station, ready to go!

Covers came together easily, with ribbon ties and a choice of decorative paper. After that, we were in the homestretch of the project: attach the textblock to covers, apply endsheets and put the whole thing under weight.

make no mistake: those are window weights…

Everyone’s project came together beautifully and it’s always interesting to see how each person’s project is a direct reflection of their personality. That’s one of the amazing things about artists’ books: no two will ever look the same. The character of the person making the book speaks through the work, no matter what.

completed books, top to bottom: megan, RLD, linda, joyce

Each time I teach a workshop, students show me something new, in addition to the things I show to them. I’ve learned about low-tech tools, DIY techniques and troubleshooting from a variety of students met in various classrooms in various cities. I believe that this is the true strength of learning: empowering your peers through knowledge, inspiring by showing. Each lesson learned accumulates over time, to create a fuller, richer way of creating.

–JH

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Good news, all around!

this is just -one- of many pen corrals in the studio...

Hello postal folk! I have so much great news to share with you…

First of all: you guys all deserve a Great Big Round of Applause!!! The fundraising project for Japan went wonderfully, with all 40 copies of “Shaken” sold over the course of 72 hours — a grand total of $200.00 was raised by you, Red Letter Day readers!

On Monday, April 18th (the anniversary of the great SF earthquake in 1906), I walked over to the local branch of the SF Red Cross and donated that $200.00 to Japanese disaster relief. A great big S.W.A.K to everyone who purchased a copy of “Shaken” — thanks so much! (and a super-shout out to Kelly Kilmer, who ordered the first copy, within seconds of the blog post going live…)

will you be there, on Saturday May 7th?

Second bit of news to tell: mark Saturday, May 7th down on your paper calendars (or iphone tech, if you’re into that sorta thing) — it’s the annual PCBA Printer’s Fair at Fort Mason! If you love book arts, paper-y tidbits, free demos, and letterpress printing then you should probably be at the Printer’s Fair next weekend. (plus the SFPL’s Book Bay store is right next door!) The Printer’s Fair is always a good time: lots of cool artists, printers, and printmakers — together in the same room, selling their goodies.

do you think everything will fit into the suitcase?...

Red Letter Day will be there, with a cavalcade of new product for sale (see above) — you’ll get a “first look” if you come by the Fair. Otherwise, you’ll just have to wait for that online store I keep referencing — the one that will open it’s virtual doors in May…  🙂

After the Fair, there will be an informal “social” on the hillside across the street from Safeway. Everyone is welcome: bring your sense of humor, maybe a kite to fly, and some snacks to nosh on!

See you at the Fair!

–JH

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